UNIFORMLY 13C-LABELED GLYCEROL IS POTENTIALLY AN IMPORTANT PRECURSOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LABELED PROTEINS. THIS YEAR WE FINISHED DEVELOPING A NOVEL SYNTHESIS OF [U-13C3]GLYCEROL FROM 13CO2. IN THIS SYNTHETIC ROUTE, THE THREE CARBON LABELED BACKBONE IS PRODUCED BY ADDING 13CO2 TO LITHIUM [1,2-13C2]ACETYLIDE TO YIELD [U-13C3]PROPIOLIC ACID. THE OXIDATION STATE OF PROPIOLATE IS ADJUSTED TO YIELD [U-13C3]GLYCEROL. THIS METHOD REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OF IN THE LITERATURE SYNTHESIS OF LABELED GLYCEROL AND WAS REPORTED IN THE SIR REPORT (NEWSLETTER) THIS YEAR. IN ADDITION, WE ARE DEVELOPING A NEW ROUTE TO GLYCEROL WHICH WILL ALLOW DIFFERENTIAL LABELING OF C-2 AND C-1,3. MS EMILY STOCKING A GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS IS RECEIVING TRAINING IN THE SYNTHESIS.